Knowing Me Knowing You Funded by Young Roots Heritage Lottery, BCC and Hengrove Community Arts College An arts and cultural collaboration between Hengrove Arts College students and young people from Bristol Muslim Cultural Society, lead by project artist Toni Robinson, and supported by Hengrove Arts College Manager Rebecca Fitzgerald and staff from various cultural organisations. By using research, recording, and creative skills, young people from different cultural, religious, and social backgrounds learnt more about their own and each others heritage and traditions and discovered their similarities and differences. Participants researched archives on language, religion, family trees and the arts at the Record Office, the Museum, libraries, and internet. They also worked with expert staff to research and develop ideas and created works of art that reflected aspects of the project they found interesting. The project culminated in an exhibition of their written and creative work that was curated and organised by the young people, held at the Art Gym gallery in Hengrove. Partners Partners Bristol City Council Cultural services, Libraries, Bristol Muslim Cultural Society, Hengrove Community Arts College, Bristol Record office, City Museum
"The Knowing, Me Knowing You Project was an innovative approach to bringing together young people through art to explore issues of identity and faith. The use of libraries as a place for social interaction enhanced the participants' feelings of belonging through shared cultural spaces. The excellent quality of the artwork produced by young people from both Hengrove Community College and Bristol Muslim Cultural Society provided testimony to the outstanding creative talents of the participants and the practitioners. The Knowing Me, Knowing You project was used as an example of best practice in a presentation made to cultural leaders representing 50 cities from across Europe at an intercultural dialogue conference in Liverpool in May 2008” . Asif Kh if Khan, an, Com Communi unity Eng ty Engagem gement Man Manager, r, Bri Bristol tol Libr Librar aries ies
“This picture shows us together on the steps of the Central Library with our portraits. We had spent quite a lot of time together by this point, we had worked really hard together to finish the pieces, I think both the group and the artworks we had created at that point were amazing!” Gabby Rhodes, Hengrove School. bby Rhodes, Hengrove School.
Knowing Me… Knowing Me… Toni Robinson Toni Robinson Artist and Project Manager Artist and Project Manager This project was launched with many new supported us and made the young people feel and other regions in the South West. I felt partners coming together (Hengrove very welcome and important, which privileged that many of the young people Community School, BMCS and the staff encouraged them to enjoy the experience. took the trouble to attend my own exhibition supporting KMKY) to find a starting point for Their staff understood the young people and in Swindon. something that had the potential to be a very discussed the art and the project with them, exciting and valuable experience for all which made them feel valued and proud of The young people from Hengrove previously involved. their work. I have written to the Library and had few relationships with Asian people and Bristol City Museum and Gallery to thank them found the experience enlightening. The Relationships were made easily due to our for their significant contribution. young people from BMCS were a little older common ground, a passion for what could be and worldlier; however they also gained a achieved, and a genuine desire to get the Our discussion days were very lively ending better understanding of the diversity of local best from the project. with the young people asking for more, once culture and sub cultures. they realised how much they had to say Progress was slow at first, due to the relating to culture, colour and race. They The discussions gave us all the opportunity numerous different commitments the young were very honest with each other and went to look at ourselves and others and the people had with their schools and busy social on to discuss other marginalized groups, young people came to the conclusion that it lives, however once the young people were different kinds of bullying and the best way comes down to who you are as an individual, achieving successful paintings and sculpture forward when experiencing this kind of and what you bring to the world and each they became enthusiastic and committed to behaviour. other that creates bonds and understanding. the project. The exhibition at The Art Gym was a huge I would like to thank the all the partners and The arts are a great tool of communication success, allowing the young people to exhibit participants, with a special thank you to and provide young people with the their work in such an exciting space and to Rebecca Fitzgerald, Denis Wise and Suneya opportunity to shine through achievement. show off to their families and friends while Azad for committing so much extra time The participants made good working introducing new friends to their families and freely to the project. I hope this is just the relationships with the artists and other wider community. beginning of our partnership. participants and we became a team where we all encouraged each other and looked The project ended with the young people I would like to add a big big thank you to the forward to the sessions, and the time we wishing they had more time together and Heritage Lottery for allowing this to happen spent together. Ideas of their own that they wanted to and supporting such fantastic work across develop to enrich the project further. the country. Initially, we were apprehensive about taking reasonably sized groups of young people into BMCS and Rebecca Fitzgerald of Hengrove Toni Robinson 2008 Toni Robinson 2008 the galleries and particularly to the research Community Arts College are now looking to library, however the Bristol City Council staff take the work forward with myself in Bristol
Knowing You… Knowing You… Rebecca Fitzgerald Rebecca Fitzgerald Arts College Manager, Heng Arts College Manager, Hengrove Community Arts College rove Community Arts College When Hengrove Arts College pupils and the pushing past the initial barriers that realise the benefit of making an effort to be young people from Bristol Muslim Cultural seemed to be between them. curious about things they have no Society met for the first time at the Central knowledge of, rather than assuming they library, I think all involved were slightly Art is a fantastic vehicle for engaging know about it because of the media or nervous. But after a few ice breaking people of all ages and abilities, and after through second hand information. activities, it became clear that the group, the first few sessions, the members of the supported by all involved, had the potential group were beginning to emerge as Many young people have an anxiety about to make the Knowing Me Knowing You confident and supportive young people. mixing with people from outside of their initiative a really successful and valuable Rapidly, they discovered how much they immediate community or comfort zones, project, not just for the participants but had in common, and all remarked on the particularly our students, as Hengrove and also the local communities. fact that they knew very little about each the surrounding area is very insular and other’s communities, even though they territorial. The young people from Hengrove, coming were extremely similar, just different sides from a predominantly white area, had very of the city. I think both groups involved in the project little contact with people from varied had an awareness of stereotypical views of backgrounds, both in school and in their Knowing Me Knowing You has brought their communities, which can often lead to local community. In fact, many of our knowledge to all the participants involved, reluctance to integrate or lowered levels of students have little knowledge of other and knowledge is what can help change confidence in new situations. The project areas in Bristol other than Hengrove and negative patterns in young people. really served to help them see that pushing the immediate small communities. their boundaries in life opens up new life Many of the participants had very little chances and life choices. On meeting the young people from BMCS, geographical awareness of the city and the it was also clear that none of them had resources and facilities that were I hope that the young people have learnt visited South Bristol, and that they also had accessible to them, so even on this level that by taking the opportunities that are preconceptions about what the Hengrove alone the young people were educated available in life and doing things they may students would be like. with regards to their lifestyle options. be hesitant or afraid to do, regardless of the perceived barriers, or lack of The BMCS participants were very keen to Hopefully, they will now do more with their knowledge of new things, their horizons get to know everyone involved in the free time, taking advantage of the cultural can be broadened and they can enrich project, while the Hengrove group were provision available in their city. their lives further. somewhat more timid, perhaps due to the fact they were slightly younger. However, The project was a real eye opener for the Rebecca Fitzgerald 2008 Rebecca Fitzgerald 2008 over time, we began to see everyone Hengrove students, who I truly believe now
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